Soil warming device



Jan. 10, 1956 A. HALLUM SOIL WARMING DEVICE Filed Oct. 28, 1953 v/INVENT'OR. flzrd/ezz/ #4212077 ATTCJ RN EYS United States Patent O SOILWARMING DEVICE Andrew Hallum, Springfield, Mu. Application October 28,1953, Serial No. 388,857

4 Claims. (Cl. 47-49) This invention relates to a heater, and moreparticularly to a device for supplying heat to a hill of soil or thelike in which seeds are placed.

This application is a continuation-in-part application of my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 260,022, filed December 5, 1951, now Patent No.2,723,495, for a Soil Warming Device.

The object of the invention is to provide a heater for expediting thegrowth of watermelons and the like which are subject to the damagingeifects of frost or cold weather, the present invention providing awarming device especially suitable during the incubation period of theseeds.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heating apparatuswherein the fuel tank is placed above the ground, there being a shieldpositioned around the wick tube or burner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a heating apparatuswhich is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to desig nate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the burner andshowing the fuel tank and wick tube in elevation, the fuel tank beingpositioned above the ground, and there being a Ushaped shield positionedaround the wick tube or burner.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the shield to be positioned around theburner.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view similar to Figure 4, showing a cap on theupper open end of the shield.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the cap shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 7 is a plan view illustrating a modified cap wherein there isprovided openings instead of slots.

Figure 8 is a plan view showing a further modification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown a fuel tank which isindicated by the numeral 70, and the fuel tank 70 is provided with acover 71, the fuel tank 70 being positioned on the ground. A wick tube72 extends from one side of the tank, and the wick tube includes ahorizontally disposed straight portion and a vertical portion, therebeing a U-shaped shield 73 which is positioned around a portion of thewick tube 72. Thus, with the tube and shield positioned in a hill 74,heat will be supplied to soil in the hill as the wick 75 which extendsfrom the tube 72 burns. The wick 75 is positioned adjacent the upper endof the compartment 88.

The shield 73 is provided with a closure plate 76 through which the tube72 extends, and a cover 77 is provided on the upper end thereof.

2,729,915 Patented Jan. 10, 1956 The shield 73 is also provided with apartition 78 and a cap 79 having a flange 80 on its end is positioned onthe end of the shield. The flange 80 be provided with slots 81 whichprovide means for the escape of gases of combustion as well as for theinlet of air to support combustion, or as illustrated in Figure 7, aflange 82 similar to the flange 80 may be provided with spaced openings83.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that with the shield 73 surrounding aportion of the wick tube 72 and with the end of the wick tube positionedin a hill 74, heat will be supplied to the surrounding area of the hillto seeds therein as the wick 75 burns, the seeds being indicated by thenumeral 84.

The cover 71 of the tank may be provided with spaced openings 85 whichprovide vents as shown in Figure 2. The shield 73 may also be providedwith a base 86 whereby a complete enclosure is provided laround thesection of the wick tube positioned in the ill.

Thus, by supplying fuel or oil to the burner from the tank 70, theburners will burn continuously to thereby supply heat to the soil whichhas seeds therein so that during the incubation period of the seeds,there will be no danger to the seeds from frost or cold weather. Air forsupporting combustion of the wick flame can enter through the openingsin the flange 80. Thus, air for sup porting combustion can enter throughthe slots 81 in the flange 80. Furthermore, the wick is very near theflange or cap so that the wick will burn. The compartment 88 is notreally a combustion chamber but merely provides a space through whichextends the upwardly projecting tube 72.

Referring to Figure 8 there is shown a still further modification of thepresent invention. Thus, in Figure 8 the wick tube 72 is surrounded by ashield 86' which may be secured to a portion of the wick tube in anysuitable manner, as for example by welding at 87. The shield 86 is usedin lieu of the previously described partition 78 and the shield 86provides sufficient room so that air can get to the wick.

I claim:

1. A seed warming device comprising a fuel tank adapted to be positionedabove ground level, a wick tube extending from said tank and including ahorizontally disposed straight portion and a vertically disposed uprightportion positioned in the ground, a shield positioned around a portionof said wick tube, a partition arranged in said shield, and a capmounted on an end of said shield and including a flange provided with aplurality of openings for the passage therethrough of gases ofcombustion.

2. A seed warming device comprising a fuel tank adapted to be positionedabove ground level, a wick tube extending from said tank and including ahorizontally disposed straight portion and a vertically disposed upright portion positioned in the ground, a shield positioned around aportion of said wick tube, a partition arranged in said shield, and acap mounted on an end of said shield and including a flange providedwith a plurality of openings for the passage therethrough of gases ofcombustion, and a cover mounted on said tank, there being a plurality ofvent openings arranged in said cover.

3. A seed warming device comprising a fuel tank adapted to be positionedabove ground level, a wick tube extending from said tank and including ahorizontally disposed straight portion and a vertically disposed uprightportion positioned in the ground, a shield positioned around a portionof said wick tube, a partition arranged in said shield, a cap mounted onan end of said shield and including a flange provided with a pluralityof openings for the passage therethrough of gases of combustion, a covermounted on said tank, there being of the cap may 3 i ,7 a plurality ofvent openings arranged in said cover, a References Cited in the file ofthis patent vertically disposed closure plate extending betweenthe endsof said shield and provided with an opening for NITED TATES PATENTS theprojection therethroughi of the horizontal portion of 323,151 HomerJuly} 23, 5 said tube. 5 810,835 Austin Jan. 23, 1906 4. The apparatusas described inclairn 3, and further 2,006,562 Scheu July 2, 1935including a base mounted below said shield.

